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A key into the language of America: or, An help to the language of the natives in that part of America, called New-England. : Together, with briefe observations of the customes, manners and worships, &c. of the aforesaid natives, in peace and warre, in life and death. On all which are added spirituall observations, generall and particular by the authour, of chiefe and speciall use (upon all occasions,) to all the English inhabiting those parts; yet pleasant and profitable to the view of all men:

by: Williams, Roger, 1604?-1683; Indigenous Languages Digitization Project (John Carter Brown Library) RPJCB

Publication date: 1643

Topics: Indians of North America, Indians of North America, Indians of North America, Indians of North America, Narragansett Indians, Narragansett Indians, Narragansett language, Indian linguistics, Imprint 1643

Publisher: London : Printed by Gregory Dexter

Collection: jcbindigenous; JohnCarterBrownLibrary; americana

Contributor: John Carter Brown Library

Language: English; Algonquian

Volume: Copy 3

[From chapter headings] Of salutation -- Of eating and entertainment -- Concerning sleepe and lodging -- Of their names -- Of their relations of consanguinitie and affinitie, or, blood and marriage -- Of the family and businesse of the house -- Of their persons and parts of body -- Of discourse and newes -- Of the time of the day -- Of the season of the yeere -- Of travell -- Concerning the heavens and heavenly lights -- Of the weather -- Of the winds -- Of fowle -- Of the earth, and the fruits thereof, &c. -- Of beasts, &c. -- Of the sea -- Of fish and fishing -- Of their nakednesse and clothing -- Of religion, the soule, &c. -- Of their government and justice -- Of marriage -- Concerning their coyne -- Of buying and selling -- Of debts and trusting -- Of their hunting, &c. -- Of their gaming, &c. -- Of their warre, &c. -- Of their paintings -- Of sicknesse -- Of death and buriall, &c

The words "upon all occasions," are printed within parentheses on title page

Roger William's A key into the language of America: or, An help to the language of the natives in that part of America, called New-England is the first study of an indigenous language in America, according to J.C. Pilling. It consists of 32 chapters regarding various aspects of Naragansett life and includes a discussion of social life and customs regarding that activity and a glossary of words and phrases. Each chapter closes with the verses of a song in English, without music

Three states of three pages of this edition exist: in the first, p. 92 following p. 95 has catchword "8epûo" not "Sepûo" and has "Rivelet" instead of "Rivulet"; in the second, p. 21 has catchword "Cha" instead of "Chap"; the third has the correct printing of "Is the water coole?" instead of "is the water coo" in the 7th line from bottom, right hand column of p. 12

Signatures: A-O (A1 verso blank)

Woodcut head and tail pieces; initials

Wing (CD-ROM, 1996)

Church, E.D. Discovery

Vail, R.W.G. Old frontier

Arents, G. Tobacco

Pilling, J.C. Algonquian languages

JCB Lib. cat., pre-1675

Alden, J.E. European Americana

ESTC

John Carter Brown Library copy 1 has p. 92 following p. 95 with catchword "8epûo" not "Sepûo" and with "Rivelet" instead of "Rivulet"; p. 21 has catchword "Chap"; and p. 12, 7th line from the bottom has "is the water coo"

John Carter Brown Library copy 2 has p. 92 following p. 95 with catchword "Sepûo" and with "Rivulet"; p. 21 has catchword "Cha" instead of "Chap"; and p. 12, 7th line from the bottom has "is the wat [space] e [space]r coo"

John Carter Brown Library copy 3 has p. 92 following p. 95 with catchword "Sepûo" and with "Rivulet"; p. 21 has catchword "Chap"; and p. 12, 7th line from the bottom has the correct printing of "is the water coole"